A secret location; elegance in white; a 29 year old tradition; soiree outdoors – It was an exciting and glamorous evening among good friends and also new acquaintances against the backdrop of Toronto’s beautiful skyline.

The pre-event festivities kicked off with champagne and performances at the Concord Sales Centre. Concord and Nordstrom were sponsors this year with interior decorators and television presenters, Colin and Justin (of Home Heist for HGTV) hosting the white carpet.

This year’s secret location was at Canoe Landing, just west of Spadina Ave. and Fort York Blvd. at the steps of City Place. The park provided an ideal space under the Toronto skyline for some beautiful images. Thousands of people all dressed in white with their white chairs, tables and picnic baskets in tow descended upon the grounds in an impromptu flash-gathering. Despite the rainy weather, people were in good spirits for being apart of something special. Not only were diner guests in fabulous chic white attire, their tables were also fashionably dressed for the occasion with elegant and sometimes over the top table settings.

The Diner en Blanc tradition was originally launched in Paris by François Pasquier in 1988 whose idea revolved around “bring a meal, and bring a new friend”. François also asked them to dress in white to identify themselves. Today, there are now 75 cities across the world involved including New York, Paris, Singapore, Stockholm, Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Melbourne. In all these places, the event relies on the diners’ good behavior and respect along with the fun in order for the massive endeavor to be successful. At the end of the event, diners disappear as they arrived, leaving the site clean as if nothing had happened. Thanks to Jessica Tan, Jordan Fogle, Rob Drynan, and the Toronto Diner en Blanc team for another memorable year.